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I figured the date was going to be pushed back, but four months is ridiculous! I can understand maybe an extra 30 days but to me that's even a stretch! They should have just gone with the Feb. 17th date because now those clueless people are even more clueless!!!!

The voucher program ran out of money. There are several million people on the waiting list for vouchers. Just because not everyone has the bucks to spend on tv tech like most forum members doesn't mean the less fortunate don't matter. Let's try to have some compassion.

Sorry, but my compassion is instead reserved for the people who can't pay their rent, electricity, buy food, and medical bills. Broken-record-mode-enabled... anyone who can't afford the $40 converter needs more help than they are getting. Pacifying folks with free TV then they can't pay their electricity, rent, etc. hasn't really helped those people much at all.

It this passes I'm going to be curious how many stations opt to shut down their analog signal before June. Are they more worried about loosing part of their views or want to save money by not having duplicate facilities. They may just feel that the people that haven't taken steps to continue to receive their signal may not be the demographics that they are trying to go for and prefer to save the money.

The voucher program ran out of money. There are several million people on the waiting list for vouchers. Just because not everyone has the bucks to spend on tv tech like most forum members doesn't mean the less fortunate don't matter. Let's try to have some compassion.

I'm sorry, watching Oprah or American Idol is not a right. If someone can't afford $40 for a DTV converter box, they have more issues than missing Survivor.

Personally, I was against the whole converter voucher program from the start.

It this passes I'm going to be curious how many stations opt to shut down their analog signal before June. ..

It's my understanding they will still be allowed to do that if there are no channel juggling or interference issues. But, the stations in the major DMAs will most likely stay on analog channels until the final second and that will complicate transition plans.

If you are upset as I am about the senate passing S.328, just remember... ONLY the Senate passed the bill. It has yet to come up for a vote in the House. If you are screaming mad about this, go to www.congress.org, find your reps, and fire off a nice yet polite letter referencing S.328. (Because of the amount of mail received, it is important to reference the bill number.)

"In an effort to increase your cable and satellite bills beyond the point of affordability and to further pad the pockets of our executives..."Check out my list of links.

If you are upset as I am about the senate passing S.328, just remember... ONLY the Senate passed the bill. It has yet to come up for a vote in the House. If you are screaming mad about this, go to www.congress.org, find your reps, and fire off a nice yet polite letter referencing S.328. (Because of the amount of mail received, it is important to reference the bill number.)

Certainly that is a prerequisite for 'bitching rights' but realistically we are swimming upstream on this one because it's not issue politically abrasive to the general population.

Other then the stations that now need to juggle their changes to different stations (which sucks).

What blockbuster progress in wireless communication/transmissions is being slowed down here?

Most stations are already broadcasting their digital signals already.

I personally think delaying it was bad choice, as I am one of those IT guys that have gone through conversions before. Send a hundred emails, verifying what people need after the conversion. But ultimatley have to pull the plug, deal with the headaches for a few weeks and then move on.

Which ultimately is going to have to happen in this case.Flip the switch, deal with the headaches and then move on.

This part could prove to be very true. Many stations have been neglecting regular maintainance on their analog transmitters hoping to just run them into the ground. I'd guess more stations that not will ride into June on fumes from their analog transmitters (which are VERY expensive to upkeep). The 4 stations I work at have had to keep their analog transmitters below 90% total power in order to ensure they would make it through to February. I can forsee a lot of budget replanning for many stations.

Shouldnt be any changes in your or any stations plans.The delay is voluntary. Any station that wants to make the change on the original date is free to do so. If any station chooses to continue the analog signal then that's their choice.My new orleans fox 8 shut off their analog on dec 22. You dont think they are going to restart their analog.Even worse with all of this is this is the 2nd time the date has been changed by the govt. Now people wont believe the new date either.You can only lie/change your story so many times then people dont believe you anymore.Especially when you made the stations run a million times a day that the date was Feb 17, 2009!!

I agree that they shouldn't delay this. 1) The 6.5 million or whatever it is won't be get much lower in another 4 months. 2) This deadline has been known about for years espicially the past few months. 3) TV isn't a right, neither is broadband internet. 4) Government mismanaged the coupon fund by giving out everyone coupons while most didn't need it.

Been a busy night... I'm just now hearing the "good news"... I have to say I'm quite tired of all the commercials about this... And I also think that if they're (the viewers) not ready by now, they're not going to be ready by June 12th... And unfortunately, a lot of stations are ready to make the switch... I sure hope the ones here go ahead and do so...

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After Feb 17th, Analog broadcasts should be made Virtually Un-Watchable. What I mean by this is put the programing in a small window and information about the analog shutdown in large print around the Picture-in-Picture.

After Feb 17th, Analog broadcasts should be made Virtually Un-Watchable. What I mean by this is put the programing in a small window and information about the analog shutdown in large print around the Picture-in-Picture.

While this bill does have to go before the House and President Obama, my sense is the bill was reviewed by leaders of both parties in both House and Senate before officially being introduced in the Senate.

Therefore, unfortunately, I expect quick passage in the House. And eventual signing by President Obama.

[quote name='dennispap']Shouldnt be any changes in your or any stations plans.The delay is voluntary. Any station that wants to make the change on the original date is free to do so. If any station chooses to continue the analog signal then that's their choice.

You are incorrect. The senate bill, the house bill may be changed, states stations that release frequencies that are going to be used by public safety can shut down early. Public safety is only 18% of the total frequency being released and, I think, would only be 18% of those stations that are now broadcasting analog on channels 51-69. Any station that is now broadcasting analog on channels 2-50 can not shut down early. http://www.dbstalk.c...ad.php?t=147758

Edited by samhevener, 27 January 2009 - 04:50 AM.spacing incorrect

AN OLD GEEZER WHO REMEMBERS THE DUMONT TELEVISION NETWORK AND IT'S TOP RATED "CAPTAIN VIDEO AND HIS VIDEO RANGERS", TV NEWS ANCHORMEN WEARING HATS DURING THE NEWSCAST, ONLY 180 SECONDS OF COMMERICALS EACH HALF HOUR, 3 STATIONS ON THE AIR WITH THEIR TEST PATTERNS AIRED FROM 2 TO 3PM, PROGRAMMING FROM 3PM TO 11:30 AND SIGNING OFF AT 11:30PM. HOW COULD I FORGET THE SINGLE FRAME VERTICAL ROLL WHEN THE STATIONS SWITCHED FROM NETWORK TO LOCAL OR LOCAL TO NETWORK AND THE TIME TONE ON THE HOUR.